Stardust Closure
by Thaeonblade
Summary: What happened between Kou and Nina when Nina unexpectedly finds him at the Federation Oakley base? Slight AU after Stardust Memory


**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Gundam belongs to Bandai, so don't sue me for writing a one-shot fanfic. Clear? Good.**

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"Kou!" Nina greeted happily with a warm smile. Her hair pulled into a ponytail that rested on her shoulder.

"Purpleton." Kou Uraki did not share the woman's feelings. On the outside he seemed confused, but both Mora and Chuck Keith could see something in his eyes. "What...what are you doing here?"

"I came to see you." Nina replied and leapt out of Mora's jeap. She waved to Keith's impressive Gelgoog Marine and grabbed Kou's hand. "I missed you...I was afraid for you..."

"Really?" He led her away, nodding to Mora with a warm small smile while the big woman drove off towards the Gelgoog. As Oakley Base was currently on vacation hours, there were more than enough places for Kou and Nina to be alone.

It wouldn't last long.

"This base seems nice."

"The food's alright."

"Are you eating your carrots?" She's actually trying to joke with him?

"Yeah...why not? Food is food." Kou took a look out over the flat Kansas landscape, "Do you know where we are Nina?"

"We're...in the American States-" Without warning, his fist slammed into her stomach. The wind was knocked out of Nina's breath and she stumbled backwards, gripping her belly from Kou's strike.

"Lieutenant Burning, Raban Karcs, Dick Allen, Lucette Audevie..." His bangs hid his eyes, but Nina could hear the fury in Kou's voice, "They all died to help us...help us stop Gato..."

"Kou-" This time, Kou slapped Nina across her face hard enough to bring her to her knees.

"THEY DIED FOR NOTHING!" Kou shouted to the woman before him, "Millions are dead...2/3rds of the Federation fleet is gone...North America is in chaos...food's gonna be scarce for months...Captain Synapse is dead...Monsha...Bate...Adel...everyone else on the Albion...they were conscripted into the Titans..."

"Don't beat yourself up over it-"

"One more word and I'll hit you again." Kou threatened, his fist already tightened from the rage inside of him, "People are dead...because I failed them. We failed them."

"I'm sorry Kou-"

"SAY IT TO THE PEOPLE WHO DIED!" Nina went silent again as Kou began to sob, "I'm pathetic...you know? I know that my failure's worst...the lieutenant trusted me and I failed. But I can't help being angry...angry that after everything that he did...you choose Gato..."

"That's not true-"

"You helped Gato...I was about stop him..."

"Please-"

"You protected him..."

"Kou-"

"YOU LOVED HIM OVER ME!" The truth was out at last. The deep root of why Kou now turned away from Nina, "People are dead because of your choice. I failed because of you. Yet I'm so pathetic that what hurts me worst...is that you choose him over me. No one they call me a failure...they're right..."

"Kou...please..." She dared to plead to his back, "I missed up...I made a mistake-"

"An apology won't bring back the dead. Or heal the scares on my soul or in my heart." Kou stated coldly, his face hardened even as tears streamed down his face, "You made your choice. Now live with it."

"You mean...this is goodbye?"

"What did you expect? What did you honestly expect me to do?" Kou asked, still not able to look at Nina, "Forget about the pain...open my arms...kiss you and say that I forgive you? Did you really think that it would be that easy?"

Nina had nothing to say.

"I hope your choice weighs on you as much as my failure weighs on me." He took a few slow steps forward away from Nina, "Goodbye Miss Purpleton."

"Don't do this-" Without another word, Kou had already taken off running. Deliberate or not, Nina felt dust get kicked into her face when the disgraced lieutenant started his run. Tears fogged her vision as she watched him go.

Wherever Kou's life went from here, she would not be apart of it.

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_**Aftermath**_

Official Records have little to say regarding Lieutenant Kou Uraki.

Some reported that he played an unsung part in the AEUG-Titans conflict. Specifically as a lone Gelgoog Marine pilot as an escort for Karaba and AEUG supply runs. Said Gelgoog Marine is reported to have downed several aces and captured many more for interrogation including members of the "Immortal 4th MS Team" and former Albion servicemen and women. Said members defected to AEUG under "light" coercion. Allegedly, the Gelgoog marine ace led former Albion members in an squad known as the "Immortal Burning Brigade". After the end of the Titans conflict, the brigade disbanded with Gelgoog marine ace disappearing from public knowledge.

He may have played a part in the Neo-Zeon conflict, but his role would have been minor with few witnesses to verify his involvement. What can be confirmed was that a mercenary by the code name of "Stardust Burn" was hired by Londo Bell and performed admirably against Char's forces. Even saving the life of officer Chan Agi and was eventually awarded the Medal of Valor before he left active service in UC 97.

Londo Bell officers who served with "Stardust Burn" suspected that the mercenary was actually Kou Uraki. But Captain Bright Noah refused for any investigation to take place. Largely on the grounds that he didn't care who "Stardust Burn" was and only for the great work that he did.

What is known is that Uraki was spotted alongside Chan Agi in UC 98 playing with a young boy who was later confirmed as their first child. After this, nothing else is rumored or confirmed about Kou Uraki, termed by official history as "The Stardust Failure".

There is much to be confirmed on Nina Purpleton, however.

Co-workers confirmed that she had returned to her work with Anaheim Electronics, but became increasingly depressed after the Stardust Incident. By the Second Neo Zeon War, Nina had become bedridden in her father's home who described her as having "lost her will to live".

Perhaps it was lingering guilt from her time with "The Stardust failure"; Perhaps it was regret for choosing to aid Anavel Gato over Kou Uraki; Or maybe she felt increasing despair that the gundams that she designed and built were fielded on both sides of many wars in the later Universal Century. Whatever the reason, Nina traveled to the Torrington Base in UC 93 in an apparent state of full health.

The morning after her arrival, her body was found in the hanger bay between the two docks where Gundams GP-01 and GP-02 were were previously stored. Nina had suffered a fatal gunshot to her skull that had rendered her paralyzed for 15 minutes until her death.

The cause of death is currently indecisive between suicide or homicide.

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**Author's Notes:**

**Stardust Memory was awesome, but it's ending lacked a certain punch.**

**So I gave it one.**

**Which retcons one or two deaths in Char's Counterattack.**

**Nina also faces some sort of repercussion for her inexcusable betrayal. A betrayal that cost millions of lives. A betrayal that enforces the stereotype that women will always side with their jerkass ex-boyfriend over the "good guy".**

**Also, note that I don't endorse domestic abuse or hitting women. But Nina just deserves a punch/slap so badly that if this counts as abuse then consider this an exception to the rule.**


End file.
